Minocqua - You probably throw out your old shoes when they get worn out.

But Lakeland Union High School wants you to donate your old shoes for two good causes.

"There are over three million shoes that get dropped off at dumpsters and stuff." said Lakeland Union High School student, Abbey Shrom.

That's a lot of wasted shoes. Lakeland Union High Schoolers saw those throw aways as opportunity.
"So thinking about it we can reuse these shoes and keep reusing them and send them to people that have good purpose for them after we're done using them." Shrom said.

They're collecting the shoes to help raise money for the Never Forgotten Honor Flights.

Shoe Box Recycling is a company in Pennsylvania that collects old shoes and sends money back.

Then, the shoes go to kids living in countries in need.

Kailey Schafbuch is thrilled to know that they're helping someone from afar.

"It's kinda cool that we're helping out kids that don't have any shoes because when I was younger I was watched this one video of a African boy and when he got his first pair of shoes he was so happy," Schaufbuch said.

"He was jumping up and down. He was so excited and so glad that he got his first pair of shoes."

They didn't have a specific amount of money that they wanted to raise, but they do have a set goal.

"We're thinking off the top of our head 150 pairs of shoes. So far we've collected 26 pairs," said Social Studies teacher, Mike Mestelle.

"So we're on our way towards that 150 goal and we'll be running the program through the end of the school year."

Students hope to have more shoe boxes distributed throughout the Minocqua community.